Adapter or attachment for cigarette packages or the like



Jan. 3, 1933. v.1, P. MOENERY ADAPTER OR ATTACHMENT FOR CIGARETTEPACKAGES OR THE LIKE Filed May 11, 1928 VENTOR ORNEY Patented Jan. 3,1933 UNITED STATES.

JOSEPH P. MCENERY, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK ADAPTER OR ATTACHMENT ,FORCIGARETTE PACKAGES OR THE LIKE Application filed. May 11, 1923. SerialNo, 276,971.

This invention relates to an adapter or attachment for cigarettepackages or the like, and provides improvements therein. 7

Cigarette packages, as usually made, consist of a loose metal foilwrapping around a bundle of cigarettes, the foil wrapping beingsurrounded and confined by an outside paper pouch pasted at sides andbottom and exposing the upper end of the foil wrapper, which latter isusually torn or cut to provide an opening through which to extract thecigarettes contained in the package.

After once being opened, cigarettes are apt to be spilled from thepackage when the latter is carried loosely in a coat pocket.

- The present invention provides an attachment or adapter whichcoacts-with the paper pouch to form a cigarette case, having a closurefor the opened package which is readily opened for the extraction ofcigarettes and readily closed for confining the contents. The inventionfurther provides an attachment which does not add-to the dimensions orsize of the package, is of light weight, of simple construction, and isreadily combined with and detached from a cigarette package.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing.

In said drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bundle of cigarettes enclosed withina metal foil wrapper.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a paper pouch, within which thebundle ofcigarettes enclosed within the wrapper, show in Fig. 1, is contained.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter or attachment. 7

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the adapter or attachment shown incombination with a package of cigarettes.

Fig; 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on the line AA, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional View on the line BB, 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view showing the fiattening of theparts of thewire which are inserted between the foil wrapper and the paper pouch. IV

Fig. '8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustratthereof), the contents areliable to be spilled preferably resilient, and the lower ends of usuallyloosely folded and wrapped around the bundle of cigarettes. The bundleof cigarettes contained in the foil wrapper 13 is contained within thepouch 15, which is usually of decorated paper, having a sealed or pastedfolded bottom, and an open upper end 17.

The package of cigarettes is usually opened by tearing-01f a part or allof the metal foil wrapper at the upper end of the pouch.

After the package is opened by tearing off the upperpart 19 of the metalfoil (or a part or to fall out of the package when carried loosely inthe pocket. To prevent this, and

to provide for a closure which will retain the cigarettes, and admit ofremoval of cigarettes when desired, the attachment or adapter 11 iscombined with the package.

The adapter 11 is most conveniently formed in part of wire, which isbent so as to for-ma pair of U-shaped or hairpin-like legs 21, 22, theupper ends of the legs 21, 22 being 0 connected at their upper ends bycross-wires 25, 26, Fig. 3, and constituting an open frame.

In combining the adapter with the package, the legs 21, 22 are insertedbetween the foil wrapper 13 and the pouch 15, these legs being slenderand being readily inserted and readily sliding down between the wrapper13 and the pouch 15, preferably to a point ap-. proximatelyat the bottomof the package.

"In order to facilitate the entry of the legs 21,,22 between the wrapper13 and the pouch -15,-the lower edges of the wire are preferablyflattened as illustrated at 27, Fig. 7. The wire constituting the legsmay, if desired, be flattened throughout the length which lies betweenthe pouch and the metal foil wrapper. 7

The wire constituting the legs 21, 22 is the legs preferably divergeslightly, as shown. The resilient legs are pressed together slightly ininserting the legs in the space between the wrapper 13 and punch 15, andthe reaction of these resilient legs against the pouch 15 holds thepouch extended, even when the cigarettes are removed, and the pressureof the legs against the pouch 15 also holds the attachment or adapter inplace when the legs are inserted between the pouch and the foil wrapper13.

If desired, the foil wrapper may be removed, and the adapter and pouchtogether constitute the container for the cigarettes.

The cross-pieces or connecting wires, 25, 26 at the upper end of theadapter are connected by a sheet metal plate 30, which, when the adapteris in place, constitutes a cover or closure for the opened end of thepackage.

The metal plate 30 is conveniently provided with flanges 32, 33 whichsurround or partially surround the said cross-wires 25', 26.

The upper face of this sheet-metal piece 30 may conveniently constitutea surface for ornamental or for advertising matter.

The plate 30 is preferably made with a hinged portion 35 constituting alid which may be opened and closed to expose and close the opening inthe upper end of the package of cigarettes. This lid 35 is preferablyacted upon by a spring 37 acting to move the lid to open position whenit is released or free to move. Otherwise, the spring may be arranged topress the lid to closed position. and thereby maintain the lid closedwithout the necessity of fastening means. I

The means for holding the lid in closed position conveniently compriseflanges 38, 39, which partially surround the legs 25, 26, but preferablyto a less extent thanthe flanges 32, 33. The wires constituting the legs21, 22 are preferably formed so as to be under tension when held by theflanges 32, 33, 38 and 39. To release the lid, the opposite portions ofthe leg 21 (as here shown) are pressed together toward one another to anextent that the distance between the wires is less than the distancebetween the flanges, whereupon the lid may be opened, or may openautomatically by the action of the spring 37.

The flanges 32, 33 are preferably formed so as not to tightly engage thecross-pieces 25, 26, so that the said cross-pieces 25, 26 may moveslightly toward one another, from end to end, when the opposite wires ofthe leg 21 are pressed together to release the said lid 35.

To close the lid, it is simply pressed down until the flanges snap overthe cross-wires 25, 26, or the upper portions of the leg 21 may bepressed together to permit the lugs 38, 39 to pass over the wires 25,26, and the pressure upon the opposite sides of the leg 21 thenreleased.

In the first embodiment shown in Fig, 3,

the legs are adapted to fit against the short sides of the pouch 15.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the legs 21, 22 are adapted to fitagainst the long sides of the pouch 15. The closure 30, provided withlid 35, is constructed and operates similarly to the parts 30, 35, shownin Fig. 3, except that the flanges thereon are connected to thecross-wires 25, 26, which run the short way across the top of thepackage, instead of the longer way, the hinge running the long wayacross the top of the package instead of running the short way, as inFig. 3.

The inventive idea may receive other embodiments and modifications thanthose herein specifically illustrated and described.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette package attachment comprising spaced apart wires havingangularly extending portions for insertion within a cigarette package atthe corners thereof, a plate rigidly attached to said wires, and asecond plate hinged to the first and having a portion for interlockingengagement with one of the wires.

2. A cigarette package attachment comprising spaced apart wires havingangularly extending portions for insertion within a cigarette package atthe corners thereof, a plate rigidly attached to said wires, and asecond plate hinged to the first and having a portion for interlockingengagement with one of the wires. and a spring tending to move thesecond plate from its interlocking engagement position to a positionsubstantially at right angles to the same.

3. A cigarette package attachment comprising spaced apart wires havingangularly extending portions for insertion within a cigarette package atthe corners thereof, a plate rigidly attached to said wires, and asecond plate hinged to the first and designed to occupy an open and aclosed position, means on the second plate for engaging one of the wiresfor holding the plate in its closed position. said wire having lateralmovement for releasing the second plate, and a spring associated withthe second plate for moving it to its open position when released.

l. An attachment for a cigarette package comprising spaced apart wireshaving portions for insertion within the package for retaining theattachment in place, a plate rigidly attached to the wires, a secondplate hinged to the first, a spring for moving the second plate to anopen position, and means on the second plate designed to snap over oneof the wires and retain the second plate in closed position.

5. A cigarette package attachment comprising oppositely arranged pairsof legs, one of said pairs being resilient and the members thereofrelatively movable, a plate associated with said pairs of legs, a secondplate constituting a cover member movably carried by the first namedplate and adapted to shift from a closed to an open position, andinterlocking means for retaining the second plate in closed positionadapted to be released by the movement of one of said relatively movablelegs in reference to the other. 6. An adapter or attachment forcigarette packages or the like, comprising a resilient wire framecomprising a pair of legs, and cross Wires connecting opposite legs, anda plate attached to said cross pieces adapted to form a closure for saidpackage'when said adapter is combined with said package, said platehaving a hinged portion constituting a. lid for exposing and closing anopening pro- Vided in the upper end of said package and means forfastening said lid in closed position, said means comprising flanges onsaid lid adapted to engage said cross-wires, said cross-wires beingyieldable under pressure to disengage said flanges. V 7 An adapter orattachment for cigarette packages or the like, comprising a resilientwire frame comprising a pair of legs, and cross wires connectingopposite legs, and a plate attached to said cross pieces adapted to forma closure for said package when said adapter is combined with saidpackage, said plate having a hinged portion constituting a lid forexposing and closing an opening provided in the upper end of saidpackage, and means for fastening said lid in closed position, said meanscomprising flanges on said lid adapted to engage said cross-wires, saidcross-wires being yieldable under pressure to disengage said flanges,said plate also having flanges engaging said cross-pieces, said flangespermitting movement of said cross-pieces toward one another when saidcross-pieces are pressed to permit engagement therewith of the flangesof said lid.

8. An adapter or attachment for cigarette packages or the like,comprising a resilient wire frame comprising a pair of legs adapted tobe inserted within a pouch and to engage the same and retain the adaptertherein, and cross wires connecting opposite legs, and a plate attachedto said cross pieces adapted to form a closure for the top of saidpackage when said adapter is combined with said package, said platehaving a hinged portion constituting a lid for exposing and closing anopening provided in the upper end of said package, and means on said lidadapted to engage said cross-wires, for fastening said lid in closedposition, said cross-wires being yieldable under pressure to disengagesaid fastening means.

9. An adapter or attachment for cigarette packages or the like,comprising a resilient wire frame comprising a pair of legs, adapted tobe inserted within a pouch and to engage the same and retain the adaptertherein, and cross wires connecting opposite legs, and a plate attachedto said cross pieces adapted to form a closure for the top of saidpackage when said adapter is combined with said package, said platehaving a hinged portion constituting a lid for exposing and closing anopening provided in the upper end of said package, and means on said lidadapted to engage said cross-wires for fastenin said lid in closedposition, said cross-wires eing yieldable under pressure to disengagesaid fastening means, said plate having flanges engaging saidcross-pieces, said flanges permitting movement of said cross-piecestoward one another when said cross-pieces are pressed to permitengagement therewith of the fastening means on said lid.

10. A cigarette package attachment comprising oppositely arrangedsubstantially parallel interconnected legs for insertion in a cigarettepackage between the contents of said package and a wrapper thereof, ahinged normally closed cover associated with said legs and meansincluding one of said legs yieldable under pressure to permit opening ofsaid hinged cover.

11. A cigarette package attachment comprising oppositely arrangedsubstantially parallel interconnected legs for insertion in a cigarettepackage between the contents of said package and a wrapper thereof, anormally closed cover associated with said legs and means including oneof said legs yieldable under pressure to permit opening of said cover.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JOSEPH P. MGENERY.

